The Huge Defenders News Is In (Major Spoilers)

Kurt Busiek made his Defenders announcements at the Canadian National Comic Book Expo this weekend.

The new creative team: Jo Duffy will co-write with Kurt. The new artist is Matt Haley.

With Erik Larsen's departure, the book is expected to become deeper and darker.

#12 will be a double-sized issue, Larsen's last.

#13 will be a fill-in issue by Fabian Nicieza and Mark Bagley.

#14-19 will be a six-issue story arc entitled Overlords: Defenders Against the Earth, with it's own #1-6 issue numbering. The Defenders have petitioned Gaia to break the Curse. She refused. So the Defenders come to the decision to take over the Earth. It's not like the Squardon Supreme- more like Dr. Doom. They essentially become villains.

Originally, they were going to have Doctor Strange go bad! He's the only one of the Big Four who hasn't going to war against the human race. Then they decided to make them all go bad.

The polarizing effect of the book and Larsen's art- either you love it or hate it- is mentioned. (I was just yapping about this on the Defenders Message Board, and hoping that the new artist would be less polarizing than Larsen (not "better").)

"But the fans have been asking for the Defenders to fight the Avengers, they've been asking for more character focus, they've been asking for more menace, more scope and more recognition that the Big Four Defenders are A-list powerhouses. They're going to get it. All of it. And more."

My initial reaction to the Overlords story blurb was negative. What kind of hare-brained scheme is this? How are they going to explain this? How are they going to make this different from Squadron Supreme and The Authority? What kind of huge stretch is needed to have Doc and Surfer go evil? But I must say, just after the five minutes of typing up this post, and seeing Matt Haley's art, the idea has already grown on me. Damn, I'm a sucker.

(Whoops. Just popped over to the Defenders Message Board and all this news has been debated there for two days already. Well screw me for taking my girlfriend's birthday and a summer weekend off from the weblog! :) Head on over there for lively discussion.)

It's not about throwing the history away. It's about telling new stories. With the freedom Stan Lee and Co. had. Rather than just building on what Stan Lee and Co. have done.

Giving Peter Parker a computer instead of a chemistry set, or updated clothes, isn't going to cut it. The Ultimate decision, pardon the pun, was to change Peter from one of the poindexters ostracized in the 60's to one of the broody kids being ostracized in the 00's.

No more footnotes to take you out of the story. Comics will be telling more complete stories unto themselves (or their trade-paperback-sized story arcs).

The cliffhanger ending that was needed month after month to get people back to the newstand is no longer needed in the trade-paperback age (and was a detriment to properly ending a story back then).

John Romita Jr. gets props as a Jack Kirby equivalent. Storytelling, anatomy, and dynamic art- he is the man. Has Jr. ever done Doc? I know Sr. did in Amazing Spider-Man #109.

Erik Larsen leaving Defenders after #12 [Comic Wire via ComicGeek; also Continuum]
Although I've tried to make the best of the situation in my own mind, and his art has grown on me- I know this will be welcome news to many people who buy this comic- and also to those who want to buy this comic but feel they cannot because of the art. Still, it's never good news when people are making decisions based on health issues.

"As for the future of the book, Busiek said that there is "big stuff coming" and that he will make an announcement next weekend at the Canadian National Comic Expo in Toronto."

This one almost slipped by: Doc fans may want to know that last month's Daredevil #20 has a short backup story by classic Doc creators Stan Lee and Gene Colan. If you ever thought Spidey and Daredevil would hang out in a night club together in costume, then it's your kind of story.

Decorated fans give comics' Lee yet more immortality through ink [dailynews.com via ComicGeek]
Even Neilalien doesn't have Stan Lee's signature tattooed on himself. "He's like the Hugh Hefner of comic books." Heh- I like that. Article also mentions that the Just Imagine series is hot in LA.

Review of Defenders #8 (Spoilers)

This issue is the best of the series so far.

Another inspired narration turn: a Toad-Man's perspective. The story was very enjoyable- it was also tight, well-paced, action-packed and complete in one issue. The reference to the walkers in Star Wars was great. Dr. Strange was very competent, with several effective turns- and in character with his exclamations and even had a rhyming spell or two. He snapped at the Hulk, but we know that something bad is up with Doc. The way Doc and Namor dealt with and discussed the Hulk was right-on- and of course, the Hulk was allowed to prove himself in the end. Was that Nebulon? And one hell of a cliffhanger, too.

Marvel not in hock to Citibank anymore. Now in hock to Tot Funding, wholly owned by Isaac Perlmutter, a director and major Marvel stock holder. "The Company is granting Tot Funding a security interest in the same assets that were secured in the Citibank agreement." Keeping the debt in-house, I see. Mommy, does this mean this guy owns Doctor Strange?

Neilalien Announcement

To my audience, and those fans who have emailed me asking the question:

I realize that my weblog has been strangely silent regarding my own personal opinion of Marvel's Authorized Fan Site Program and what I am going to decide. I do so like to spew my opinions here, and it certainly seems like a matter personal to me, so it must seem strange (no pun intended).

The silence is because I am remaining calm, distant and rational, for the sake of my mental health. I apologize if I am coldly reporting and waiting to see what happens rather than showing leadership on this topic. Until I get the Join Or Die letter from Marvel, there is no reason for me to take action, and I will not take action.

Marvel's Authorized Fan Site Program is a good deal. They could have went Harry Potter all over us and shut everything down. I respect that a lot.

I also understand why people have protested and shut their sites down. It's not that they are flying off the handle. It's not that they weren't really fans. It's that they would rather have no self-expression than a version compromised in any way. I respect that as well. Let me make myself clear: I relate strongly.

What I think Marvel should do is irrelevant, and probably wouldn't satisfy any lawyers, but I'll say it anyway. Marvel should not have an Authorized anything. It should have a page on its website entitled: Marvel Fan Site Guidelines. This should be a simple, clear, non-restrictive list of boundaries/guidelines for all Marvel fan sites to follow. You must have the Marvel.com logo on the entry page above the fold with a link to us. You must use this footer provided. You cannot use animated gifs of Marvel characters due to online comic and animation contracts we have. You must not make any money off your site or our properties. All text, fan fiction, opinions, criticisms, etc. is acceptable- state it this clearly- but where images are concerned, they must be appropriate as we judge them, i.e. do not draw Dr. Strange making love to Dr. Fate and put it up on your website. If you break these rules, we will shut you down, period. If you follow these rules, you will never hear from Marvel Comics, except to say, "Thanks for your fandom and free advertising." If there is an Authorized anything, it should be voluntary. Try to sweeten the pot with the linking and the Fansite of the Month stuff, but keep it voluntary.

If I were a betting man (and I am)- I will probably sign up for the program. I love my site. I use my site to learn about website design, production and technology. I love the fans, the emails, the hits which have slowly grown beyond all my hopes and expectations. When I got the Neilalien URL, and my personal blog crashed and burned, I made a list of what interests I have which would make for a fun, living, youthful, designy, opinionated, topical website. I only came up with a couple interests. Dr. Strange was the best one. I love using Doc images to try making great-looking web pages. Naturally it's not always a lovefest for me, and I won't be doing it forever- but today I'm not bored of the comic book weblog yet. Plus it's an exciting time for comics right now, and Doc fans will soon have Defenders and Witches each month. Nuff said.

After signing up, however, I see trouble ahead. It's not clear how much Marvel will control content of the fansites. I'm always bad-mouthing Marvel. Until I get great monthly solo Doc stories, I will continue to bad-mouth Marvel. If someone posts an image of Doc making love to Dr. Fate, I will link to it. If a comic book sucks, I'll say it, I'll tell people not to buy it. Boundaries will be pushed.

I might have to shut down at that point, or do a Doc weblog without Doc images, without referring to Doc in the title. It'll be harder to find my website topically via the search engines. I think I got most die-hard Doc fans on the internet in my audience already- all 100 of us :) . I suppose I should have parlayed this gig into a comic book online creator, journalist or reviewer job by now, like ComicGeek and others.

Rest assured, there will always be something interesting at the Neilalien URL. Even if it's Exciting The Chicken again. At least I didn't go for a URL like www.docstrangecomics.com that Marvel can take away at any moment. Mi casa online, su casa online.

Doctor Strange and Clea Cameo in CrossGen's Mystic #15

So I went out to my comic book shop, after reading this post on the Defenders Message Board, and CrossGen's Mystic #15 is indeed full of cameos by magic-oriented characters from many sources and publishers, including Doc and Clea. They're in a bar. I wonder if it's really related to this rumor I blogged from All The Rage a month ago about Marvel getting Bryan Hitch from CrossGen.

The big Marvel death was Odin last week in Thor [Marvel Press Release on CBR]
I've been reading Thor, actually, because I like Immonen. Odin died battling Surtur. It didn't even occur to me after I read it that this was Marvel's big death. That's how unclimactic the death was. And we saw this already during Simonson's run. But I guess it's the events after Odin's demise which will supposedly rock our world.

I'm just glad it wasn't Doc. But the press release wonders if Death is finished with her rounds...

Looks like Marvel Authorized Fan Site spokespeople Deborah Krier and David Gallaher have trademark-busting personal fan sites of their own [Deborah's Labyrinth Page (on GeoCities- watch out!); David's Superheroes Are Dead Page (check out the footer, as ass-covering and legalistic as mine!- and all those unauthorized images- ooh!) via Sersi's Loft]

Not that a tu quoque argument solves anything. Or maybe it is hypocrisy. In this post-modern world, there is no truth, only credibility.

When ComicInvestor.com first appeared on the web, I winced- and muttered to myself, "Here we go, another non-reader, trying to build up another speculator disaster for his own wallet, pro-CGC, pro-Wizard, etc." I refused to link to him. Well, I've been keeping an eye on this Vince guy (even his Usenet posts), and happily he's overcome my initial reaction. He's obviously a reader and a fan with a rational, skeptical brain and economic sense. The site has some good content on it. His Editorials are required reading. And he's a one-man public service against fraud on eBay. Excelsior!

Universe X #12: Wong Sighting (Spoilers)

Put me down officially as an enjoyer of Earth X who ran out of interest, the ability to comprehend what was going on, and money (both series are quite pricey) for Universe X. Still, I peek in the book at the comic shop for Doc items. I don't really understand it, but the finale of Universe X has a disturbing Wong moment. Wong's resentment of his servitude to Doc shaped his Terrigen-Mist mutation into a creature with two heads and a set of arms joined at the waist. The resentful head was on top, and the nice Wong head was forced beneath, upside-down, the creature using the nice Wong's upside-down arms to walk. Death and Mephisto must have promised to undo this freakishness, so Wong serves them. He sowed the seeds of betrayal in Clea against Doc, and worked to reanimate The Absorbing Man. Adam Warlock dispatches the Wong creature.

Current Defenders fans: Papa Hagg is also mentioned in Universe X #12. And not in a positive light.

Be sure to check out the two interviews currently up at Splash before they disappear forever. In the first one, a retailer's roundtable concludes that Marvel's improved content is a wave lifting all boats, comic sales are up, indies are up, trade paperbacks and graphic novels are really up, and that it's a reader's market. Yay! Marvel's business practices are evil though. Meanwhile, DC's VP Levitz is high and on comics and DC and even successful Marvel movies. Lots of little industry insights also about how to sell the comic book in all its formats, to the comic book market in all its viability, with the distributor's warehouses and the retailer's shelves betwixt. It's all good.

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